Local GOP Official Assailed for Racist Email Against Obama

By |April 17, 2011

Orange County Republican Central Committee member Marilyn Davenport is facing sharp criticism from all sides for sending an email Friday that depicts President Obama as an ape.

The email — which exploits the long running right wing canard regarding Obama’s birth certificate — superimposes the president’s image into a picture of three apes that is meant to look like a family portrait.

Under the picture is the line: “Now you know why no birth certificate.”

The Orange County Register reported over the weekend that local GOP Chairman Scott Baugh has called on Davenport to resign. If she does not do so, the party’s ethics panel will hold a hearing on the incident, the Register reported.

Here is an excerpt from the Register story:

“It’s just highly inappropriate, it’s a despicable message, it drips with racism and I think she should step down from the committee,” Baugh said. “It undermines everything we are doing to reach out to ethnic communities.”

Michael Schroeder, former chairman of the California Republican Party, also condemned the image and called for Davenport’s resignation or ouster.

“My jaw dropped when I saw it,” Schroeder said. “I’ve never seen anything so offensive sent out by an elected official.”

Davenport represents the 72nd Assembly District in Orange County on the committee, which is made up of volunteer officials elected for two-year terms. The group is tasked with fundraising, campaigning and debating policy for the Republican Party.